Amgen, Inc. : Amgen Ends Ganitumab Study on Panel Recommendation
08/08/2012| 04:37pm US/Eastern
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By Tess Stynes
Amgen Inc. (AMGN) ended a phase three trial of its ganitumab treatment for a type of pancreatic cancer after an interim review by an independent panel overseeing the study concluded that the addition of the treatment to gemcitabine is unlikely to meet study goals.
The Gamma trial aimed to determine whether a combination of ganitumab and gemcitabine improved overall survival in comparison with gemcitabine in combination with a placebo in treatment of patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.
"These disappointing results underscore the difficulty of treating pancreatic cancer, which remains a major unmet medical need," said Sean E. Harper, executive vice president of research and development at Amgen.
Amgen said it has communicated with regulatory authorities and is in the process of notifying study investigators that treatment with ganitumab should be discontinued in the Gamma trial, as well as a separate phase-two trial in locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
Shares were down 67 cents at $80.70 in recent after-hours trading Wednesday.
Write to Tess Stynes at tess.stynes@dowjones.com
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